What has changed in the area?

Wulf mentioned this in the Clayton HS reunion thread. I didn't want to hijack that thread so we'll try it here.

What has changed in this area in the last 20-30 years? What has changed since you've been here?

I'm not exactly an old timer but I've been here since 1986. 40/42 did not exist yet because 40 wasn't there. Clayton wasn't thought of as Raleigh bedroom community until 40 was completed from Raleigh to 95. I don't remember the exact year it opened but I think it was the last 80's or very early 90's. Clayton started to grow fast in the mid 90's.

This is all I have time for now.

 

When my family moved to Clayton, there were 2 stop lights on 70. First is where the McDonalds is now only then it wasn't a McDonalds and where the Walgreens is used to be a Hardee's and a Gas station across the corner where the other drug store is now (Rite-Aid or what ever it is now). The other was where Main Street came into 70. And where the Walmart is now on 70 in Clayton used to be a little 9 hole golf course.

 

My list could go on and on, so I'll just mention one thing for now!

Past: Residents simply were "Living in the South" and that covered it.

Present: Residents "Living in the South" could mean: South Meadows, South Plantation, South Fort, South Creek, South Hills, South Woods etc.etc.etc.

 

Good info.....please share if you have time.

 

Please post pics as well (if possible)

 

I remember when the Hardee's came. It was a big deal. I was a kid. Granddaddy would say "Let's go get a Hardee burger". I've been here 41 years and remember when a lot of the roads were still red dirt. And a trip to Smithfield (to go to Rose's) was like a trip to the big city.

We lived down the hill on Main street in front of the cotton mill and Mama would give me $5 on some Saturdays and me and my friend Lisa would walk to town. We'd go to the dime store then to Jones' for hot dogs.

(Before we lived there we lived on what is now Barbour Mill Road. I was little and can't remember too clearly. But I think you could count the number of houses there on both hands. I do remember clearly however, riding on the truck tail gate going down the dirt road with my feet dangling off. And the only place hwy 42w went was to Fuquay)

In elementary school I went to what is now The Clayton Center. What was my Jr High is now Cooper Elementary. I rode my bike to school. That was a good little trek for a kid. I wouldn't let my kids do it today.

And I went to West Clayton Elementary back when it was Clayton Primary.

Things have changed so much. Too much.

C'est la vie.

 

I remember when 70 was 2 lane and it went through downtown Clayton. For that fact it was the only decent road east to west from the coast to Winston Salem. That ride took almost 7 hours in the late 60's to early 70's. About 6 hours if you knew where all the Barney Fifes parked.

The food stops were unbeatable and the people couldn't get any more friendlier. Hitchhikers got rides and people were glad to help. Following Hwy70 from the beach to the Smokey Mountains was a beautiful trip of small towns and scenery you wouldn't forget. Better days and better times won't come.

 

Didn't Hwy 70 always go through Gboro, High Point? I don't think it ever went through W-S even though it doesn't matter with regards to Clayton.

 

We've been here about 8.5 years. In that time the following has been built...

@ hwy 210
Food Lion shopping center
McDonalds
MedCap building
Wendys
BoJangles
strip with vet office
CVS

@40/42
building where Dr. R's office is
Just Tires
Strip of businesses behing Golden Corral
WalMart
bank
Credit Union
strip of shops behind Peddlers Village
Lowes Foods shopping area
Draft House
auto parts stores
Walgreens

Schools
W. Johnston was under construction
Dixon Rd
Polenta was under construction
W. View
W. Smithfield

Clayton
McCalls
Wal-Mart
stores and resturants near and across from Wal-Mart
Dunkin Donuts and hotel there

70 bypass

White Oak shopping area


I'm sure there is more but those come to mind.

 

I had forgotten about that golf course. I actually played there a couple of times. It was pretty cheap.

I think there was a house along with the gas station that used to be where Rite Aid is too.

I remember the original sign for Glen Laurel. It said "homes from the $140's to the $400's. I don't think you can get a garage in there for $140K now.

 

We have been here since 1991 and there was nothing, and I mean nothing here but 2 gas stations on the 40/42. Had to travel down 1010 into Smithfield to go food shopping and to Walmart. The kids all went to the OLD Cleveland School. Kindergarten was in the trailers in the back. The first thing to come was a shock, the new cleveland elemenary school, then things started building up form there.

 

When I was growing up in Clayton, I used to take riding lessons at a farm on a dirt road that connected Ranch Rd. with Barbour Mill. We used to ride horses to that gas station that eventually became a daycare. The road has been paved, the barn is gone and a subdivision built, and the road doesn't even connect to Barbour Mill anymore. I think the residents closed it on that end.

 

I moved to Clayton in Dec of '01. Shortly thereafter I ran into a friend from back home that had moved here as well. One night he was telling me how he had heard the 40/42 exit was said to soon be the busiest interchange in the area.....to which we both laughed. Doesn't seem so funny now.

 

I remember how desolate Hwy. 70 seemed coming through Clayton during the late 80s. I remember the Hardee's and the Scotchman where the Rite-Aid is now. As for 4042, I remember I-40 being unfinished and 4042 being nothing more than a future interchange. Hardly no retail to speak of. I haven't lived in Johnston County all my life, but I grew up just one county over and can say that western Johnston County has changed like no other part of the region.

 

i remember when they first built the winn dixie... it was like the second coming of you know who around here - wow, a BIG "supermarket" with all the fancy departments... and there used to be an old field out south of barbour mill and 42 (past the orphanage) where we used to go hit golf balls, that was before they paved barbour mill. We would 'swing' for the creek and usually make it, then wade down in the water to retrieve the balls, and a few frogs. Even had a run in with a beaver or two back then. Probably all gone now, paved over and sprouting mailboxes. But my favorite memory is old JT the janitor at the high school. He was only there a year or so before he got sacked but he used to dance while swept and even sing to us sometimes. He was pretty old. He probably died along time ago.

 

There used to be a Champion Factory and store behind the high school.

There was a big clothing outlet called J and J apparel out off 42 east on 222.

 

This is a little off subject since I've only been here two years but I'm from Raleigh. I remember in 2002 my husband and I drove from Raleigh to the 40/42 exit to that used car dealership (can't think of the name of it). I thought we were going WAAYYYY out of town. I didn't know where we were. I remember saying, could you imagine living way out here?! Where do you go shopping?! Now that I live here, of course things have changed and also Raleigh doesn't seem that far away anymore. I go all the time to visit my parents. Now, I'm just waiting for a mall...:lol:

 

I'm from Wendell (grew iup 1/2 mile from the Jo Co line) - I moved to the 4042 area in 2001 and LOVED it from day 1. Everyone here no matter what their background or what city they came from, they are my friends.

which includes EVERYONE here. :grouphug: This is my HOME and I will never leave.


Some of you may be disappointed by that :lol:

 

:grouphug::grouphug:

 

I moved to Johnston County from Garner in 1995, to a subdivision near 210/40. There was nothing at the intersection then but some old houses. They tore down one where the Shell station is, and the one across the street was moved, but nothing has been built on the lot.
And nothing but land on the other side of 40, except for the house at the bottom of the hill on the left right beside the exit ramp.
I am a country girl, from Tyner, NC. (anyone know where that is?) I moved from Garner to get away from the hustle and bustle. Followed me out here, didn't it?
When I was little, in the 60's, we would ride to Raleigh for the state fair, and it was a big city for us, lol, it was about the size of Smithfield! And there were no suburbs. There was nothing but country between the towns. Things have changed so much!